Local heroes tackle post office robber armed with needle

Two local men came to the rescue of Dublin Street Post Office staff this afternoon as they were held up by a needle wielding armed robber.

Two local men came to the rescue of Dublin Street Post Office staff this afternoon as they were held up by a needle wielding armed robber.

At approximately 2.30pm a man armed wtih a needle attempted a robbery at the post office on Dublin Street. It is understood that he attempted to rob an elderly man who was queing on the premises.

However his robbery attempt was foiled when a local man described as being in his mid twenties entered the shop and tackled the man to the floor. A struggle ensued, with a member of the post office staff then running out into the street to ask for more help.

A member of staff at a local business then came to their aid. “I heard one of the staff calling for help, so I ran in to see what I could do,” the man told the Dundalk Democrat at the scene. “There was a guy already in their holding him down, but they were still struggling. I then held his legs, and he stopped resisting at that stage.”

After about three minutes armed Gardaí arrived at the scene. “About eight to nine gardaí burst in with sub-machine guns and they arrested him and took him away. They (the staff) said he had a needle but I didn’t actually see it myself. I think he (the robber) was from Drogheda.”

The man was then lead away in handcuffs into a garda van, his face obscured by a coat.

Gardai undertook a forensic examination of the scene while witnesses gave statements in the next door solicitior’s office. A member of staff at the scene described the incident as “not very serious” and the post office re-opened at 4pm.

While the office was closed with the suspect inside, one local man who was inconvenienced by the event was heard to say “I can’t get my f***ing dole”.

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